Top 10 Slow cooker brands-start cooking great recipes

Updated on November 22, 2016

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How to choose your slow cooker

A slow cooker is a kitchen appliance
that has been around for more than 3 decades, making it an
established tool of kitchens worldwide. Despite the decrease in sales
and new users trying it, recently it has returned as a top choice
among Americans for their homes. This is mainly the result of the
investment brands have putted in better designed and conceived
cookers that cost less, are more energy efficient, and are very safe
to specially unattended.

Slow cookers have closed lids and work
at low temperatures when compared to ordinary ovens making them way
less dangerous for the user and even for children who accidentally
touch them out of curiosity.

Note: Children should never be left
alone with a slow cooker or other kitchen appliance of any kind.

If you are sceptical about slow cookers
because of the experience with old
crock pots forget about it: the new generation of cookers keeps food
warm without overcooking it, which was the major flaw of the old
ones.

Why you should consider a slow cooker:

-food can be left slow cooking in the
morning and be ready to serve by the end of day: very convenient and
time-efficient during work-days

-energy efficient: will consume less
electricity when compared to traditional electric ovens

--much easier to make stews: meat gets
tender without losing taste

-easy to wash: most slow cookers are
have a glazed pot which is very fast to clean

- Only one pot needed to cook: keeps
the kitchen tidy and avoids unnecessary mess

-many slow cooker recipes available
online to try new dishes that will surprise your family and guests

At Amazon you have a
great selection of slow cookers to choose from, fro established
brands and new manufacturers, and the choices made bellow reflect the
very best choices based on price and customer ratings.

Small size Slow cookers

These are appropriated to single persons or couples

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Cuisinart slow cooker

Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

The
Cuisinart slow cooker is very well conceived making it an
exceptionally valuable tool to have in your kitchen. It has a
programmer accessed through an LCD screen that can be set up to
24hours so food gets cooked plenty of time ahead of your arrival and
is kept warm so you can enjoy it just as if it was made 2 minutes
before. From
soup, pasta sauce, chicken, pork, red beans and rice, this slow
cooker makes sure the result with any kind of meal/food will always
be the best. A very useful set of recipes are included with the
instruction manual to make sure you won’t run out of ideas soon.
Preparing meals for one or two persons is great there will be just
the right amount of leftovers to keep in the refrigerator for a
couple of extra meals.

One
great advantage over the competition is the built-in
glass
lid that
enables you you to
easily
monitor
the cooking process.

Main
features

-Oval
shaped
with ceramic pot

-practical
24hour
countdown
timer

-
Nonslip
rubber feet

-handles
stay cool to prevent burns

-
14.2 x 16.5 x 11.8 inches, weights around 16 pounds

-has
a built-in glass
lid so
you can
easily
monitor
the cooking process

-for
sale with a 3 year warranty

West Bend 84384 4-Quart Oval-Shaped Crockery Cooker

West
Bend`s four quarts is a safe
option for preparing larger dishes for groups.Despite
being large enough for a good roast, it is not cumbersome like 7 or 8
quart models, making it a wise option for preparing meals from 2 to 8
people.

The
inside container is of a high quality and of great use as it can be
separated from the outer part, therefore easily washed and perfect to
store the leftovers in the fridge.

This
slow cooker is guaranteed to be a solid product where you put in your
food, turn it on and come back some hours later to collect dinner: is
as simple as it could be.

Medium Size Slow Cookers

At this range we find the best cookers for the common 3- persons household

Hamilton Beach Slow cooker

Hamilton Beach 33967 Set 'n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

The Hamilton Beach programmable slow
cooker is a top
pick amongst shoppers and after taking a closer look to all it has it
becomes no surprise at all. It is very welt built specially the lid
with a rubber edge that can be tightened down with clips: you get an
airtight seal that prevents evaporation and avoids spills when
transporting food in the car for example. Despite being large the
ceramic insert feels like feather which is great for cleaning.

As
for programming it is surprisingly easy to set cook for a specified
amount of time, keeping food warm after the job is done so you will
have no overcook or cold food surprises.

Another
great feature is the probe option that basically saves you from all
the guesswork of knowing when the meal is prepared: after getting
into the sweet spot of cooking temperature the Hamilton Beach will
keep it there so everyone can enjoy your tasteful meal.

Main features

-6-quart
programmable

-LED
digital control panel

-3
cooking
options--program,
manual, or probe

-Internal
mechanism that protects against power failure

-comes
with very easy to understand user
manual that
includes some great recipes

DeLonghi DCP707 Stainless-Steel Programmable 5-Quart Slow Cooker

For medium
sized families ( 3-6 people) to friend’s gatherings, this cooker is ready to cook
virtually anything up to 10 hours and keeps the result warm for
another two. It has a big cooking pot that is totally dishwasher safe
leaving you time to enjoy the company of your guests and family. An
underestimated feature is its squared shape that fits
nicely in the corner of the counter: always an advantage for
efficient space management.

What
is great about this model is the food doesn't stick to the crockery
insert which translates into super-easy clean saving you precious
time.

Main
features

-
Display with a
10-hour countdown timer

-Touchpad
control panel

-Tempered
glass lid; nonslip feet; stay-cool handles for safety

-Measures
13
x 11.8 x 9.6 inches and weighs 14.8 pounds

-one
year warranty

-
Not that big: easy to store in a cupboard

West Bend Slow cooker

West Bend 84905 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker

The
oblong-shaped
slow cooker from West Bend is a very valuable option in the mid size
range. Even if it doesn’t have more advanced features like a led
screen with timer control, it has good extras like the pot that can
be used in the oven, range top, or even in the freezer to keep the
leftovers for another day. Another great extra is the usage customers
usually give to the cooker using its base as a griddle for pancakes
or grilled cheese sandwiches, enabling to leave a free burner on the
stove. Under the 40$ tag you won’t find anything to be as good as
this one.

This
slow cooker is the state-of-the art appliance for your kitchen. With
a touchscreen, it has a programmable timer accessed through an LCD .
For the rice fan the Sanyo cooker is wonderful thanks to the
separate inner pots and inner lids that keep slow cooked meals
separate from rice , keeping its natural taste. Also the
micro computer that is included have automatic controllers easily
accessed through a multi-menu
single touch, enabling to choose programs for any kind of rice:
mixed, brown, sushi, white, you name it. Even if you are a disaster
preparing rice the Sanyo automatic system is 100% idiot-proof so you
will surprise everyone with the most fluffy and moist rice they’ll
have ever had.

Main
features

-
Convenient
Retractable power cord

-Steaming
option with adjustable timer

-
Comes with valuable accessories including a tofu
container,the steaming tray, a measuring cup, a spatula, and a
compilation of recipes

-
Measures
13 x 10 x 8 inches , weights 13 pounds

Large size Slow Cookers

These are big families and groups oriented: cooking for more than 6 people

If
you have a big family or constant visits from friends that demand a
larger
cooking pot, the Maxi-Matic on sale at Amazon is the best purchase.
That huge rib roast or cooking for a dozen is no longer a headache,
this cooker holds it well without compromising the final result.

Beyond
all benefits and features of a modern slow cooker, this one has a big rounded shape making it possible to put inside odd shaped pieces of
meat without the need to additional chop. As for quality and ease of
use it could not be easier to work with: pork roast, chicken, pasta,
veggies, soup, stews, you name it and the pot will cook it. The most
remarkable is the possibility to cook frozen meat at a higher
temperature until it is thawed to automatically drop temperature to
low as if the meat was putted there unfrozen.

KitchenAid KSC700OB 7-Quart Slow Cooker

The
Kitchen aid is one of the biggest slow cookers, ideal for family
get-togethers or large social functions
where the balance between quantity and quality is crucial. It is a
big unit and a little bit heavy ( 24 pounds), however its quality is
superb creating meals up to 12 people while maintaining a great flavour.

An
Innovative ceramic insert helps capture condensation at the same time
providing a solid grip area that is rock proof quality made , a
distinctive mark of KitchenAid products.

Another
great feature is all parts are dishwasher
safe so you can put the tight fitting lid or the removable insert
into the dishwasher which makes cleaning a snap .

This
oval-shaped slow cooker has great capacity being the perfect choice
for big families up to 8 people. It has a helpful touch screen
control panel to set cooking times and the timer countdown so you
have total control over every meal preparation also thanks to light
flashes that inform where the process is in the cooking cycle.

Its handles feature cool
wraps thanks to a unique silicone cover enabling easy safe handling.
Like its rival slow cookers the crock-pot automatically changes to
warm mode as soon as the meal is ready.

Another
great advantage is how handsome it will look on your countertop as it
s beautifully crafted from Stainless steel, matching well with other
appliances.

All-Clad 99009 Stainless-Steel 6-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker

Despite being placed onn “heavy weight” territory this 6 1\2 quart
slow cooker can also be used to cook for 2 or 3 persons . It has many
interesting details that deserve a closer look such as the rubberised
edge around the cooker insert that keeps the seal strong, or a light
weight outer shell that greatly reduces the overall weight of the
All-Clad.

Main
Features

-integrated control panel to constant monitoring of cooking

-Timer can be programmed up to 26 hours

- riveted stainless-steel handles

-Parts are dishwasher-safe

- Very useful recipe booklet included

-Measures 20.5 x 14.8 x 12.2 inches ,
weights 22 pounds

-Warranty is valid for one year

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